Golden State coach Mark Jackson didn’t like how his team was treated by officials and the Nuggets in Game 5. (Reuters)

Golden State coach Mark Jackson has a problem. His team has lost its cool. In Game 5, Andrew “Bogus” Bogut took a cheap shot at the neck of Denver’s Kenneth Faried. Stephen Curry jawed with a fan at the Pepsi Center. Warriors forward Draymond Green confused playing defense with kung fu fighting and got slapped with his team’s second flagrant foul during the Nuggets’ 107-100 victory.

Then Jackson, who wasn’t opposed to hard fouls during his days as a player, took to the microphone and protested the Nuggets are a dirty team that sent “hit men” to hurt Curry. Was that smart gamesmanship? Or a sign that Golden State’s coach is freaking out? Listen to Peter Burns and I discuss Jackson’s rant here:

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What do you think? Will referees give Warriors a favorable whistle in Game 6? And what chance do the Nuggets have of beating Golden State on its home court?

Kick it with Kiz and Peter Burns by joining the discussion on Mile High Sports Radio Monday through Friday from 7-9 a.m. At 93.7 FM and 1510 AM.

George Karl of the Denver Nuggets takes off his tie as he walks off the court after their loss to the Golden State Warriors 115-101 in Game 4 of the first round NBA Playoffs April 28, 2013, at Oracle Arena. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)

After their best regular season in NBA history, the Nuggets are on the brink of allowing coach George Karl do what he does best in the playoffs: Sit back and watch his team get bounced in the opening round.

This postseason predicament is not all Karl’s fault. But, should Denver be eliminated 4-1 by sixth-seeded Golden State, would it be time to admit the Nuggets need to go a different direction on the bench? Listen to Peter Burns and I discuss that topic here:

Look how far the Nuggets have come. A franchise with a long history of getting bounced from the NBA playoffs in the first round is now an overwhelming favorite to win and advance against Golden State. In fact, the wise guys in Las Vegas say there’s an 81 percent chance Denver eliminates the Warriors.

But as Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning could tell Nuggets point guard Ty Lawson, it’s never safe to assume anything in the playoffs. If Baltimore could upset the Broncos, should the Nuggets be worried about the three-point shooting of Golden State? Peter Burns and I break down the Denver-Golden State series. Give it a listen here:

Medical responders run an injured man past the finish line the 2013 Boston Marathon following an explosion in Boston, Monday, April 15, 2013. (Charles Krupa, The Associated Press)

When the explosions rocked the Boston Marathon, the aftershocks could be felt in the bones of every sports fan. Since 9/11, many of us have wondered: Could a sporting event be a target for terrorism?

In Colorado, we’ve been forced to ask ourselves tough, sad questions: Should we be worried while taking our seat at a movie? If tragedy can happen in Boston, what security measures are in place for the Bolder Boulder road race? Peter Burns and I discuss sports in the age of terrorism here:

Denver Nuggets small forward Kenneth Faried (35) sets a pick on Golden State Warriors point guard Jarrett Jack (2) as Denver Nuggets point guard TyLawson (3) dribbles past him in the first quarter. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)

Hey, stop telling us the Nuggets are not contenders for the NBA championship. That includes you, Masai Ujiri. Sure, as general manager, Ujiri knows the team’s talent. But Denver no longer has to fear any team in the NBA.

Are the Nuggets ready to bump off San Antonio, one of the league’s longtime elite franchises? Not just tonight, when they meet in Texas, but in a seven-game playoff series? I say the answer is yes, if Nuggets point guard Ty Lawson is ready to step up and win the one-on-one battle against Spurs counterpart Tony Parker. Peter Burns, my partner on the radio, disagrees. He believes the Nuggets are a good team, but still must be considered pretenders.

It is time for Nuggets coach George Karl to show some real faith in his team. Go big. Or go home.

Denver has won a franchise-record 13 NBA games in a row. Lucky roll? Or a team coming of age? Karl is very careful not to burden his young players with too many expectations. I believe, in part, that’s because Karl doesn’t want to take on the pressure of delivering in the white-hot spotlight of the playoffs. But you know point guard Ty Lawson isn’t afraid of the Miami Heat, much less the Oklahoma City Thunder or the San Antonio Spurs.

So, if you ask me, the Nuggets should embrace big dreams and shoot for a championship. Yes. Now. In 2013. Peter Burns disagrees. He’s not sold on this team as a true contender. Listen to us debate here:

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This should be the Nuggets’ attitude: Why not us? Why not now?

Let us know if you agree.

Kick it with Kiz and Peter Burns by joining the discussion on the radio Monday through Friday from 7-9 a.m. At 93.7 FM and 1510 AM.

The Miami Heat has won 16 NBA games in a row. The Chicago Blackhawks have recorded a point in the standings through all 24 games they have played in the NHL season. Hey, didn’t the Broncos win 11 straight times in 2012?

“Don’t mean a thing,” said Broncos linebacker Wesley Woodyard, who joined the debate for this edition of Kickin’ It with Kiz.

A team can make headlines during the regular season with a winning streak. But that’s nothing more than an ego stroke, Woodyard claimed. The playoffs? That’s winning time.

Listen to Woodyard, Peter Burns and I discuss whether the streak by the Blackhawks or Heat is more impressive:

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Can the Avalanche end Chicago’s streak on Friday night in the Pepsi Center? Kiz says yes. Burns says no. What say you?

Kick it with Kiz and Peter Burns by joining the discussion on the radio Monday through Friday from 7-9 a.m. At 93.7 FM and 1510 AM.

You know and love Broncos star Wesley Woodyard for his work on the football field. But he’s more than a linebacker. He’s a Renaissance man who also loves hoops. “Wood” will be in the house, when the Nuggets take on Oklahoma City, one of the NBA’s elite teams. And he has some friendly advice for coach George Karl on how to beat Kevin Durant and the Thunder.

On the strength on another star-making game by Ty Lawson and a rare offensive outburst of 29 points by Andre Iguodala, the Nuggets beat reeling Portland 111-109 Wednesday night. Denver now sits four games back in the loss column to Memphis for the coveted fourth seed in the Western Conference playoffs.

There is certainly still time for the Nuggets to pass the Griz and earn home-court advantage for the opening round of the playoffs. I say the No. 4 seed should be the minimum goal for these coddled Nuggets, and anything less would be an epic fail for a team annually purported to be on the rise. Peter Burns and I discuss if coach George Karl is doing enough to earn his big salary. Listen here:

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What do you think? Should anybody be disappointed if the Denver Nuggets fail to get home-court advantage? Is the NBA a rigged league where Nuggets have no chance of winning a championship? Or should we expect more from this team?

Kick it with Kiz and Peter Burns by joining the discussion on the radio Monday through Friday from 7-9 a.m. At 93.7 FM and 1510 AM.

Peter Burns is a radio show host for Fox Sports Radio and Mile High Sports Radio in Denver. He is a former collegiate athlete and grew up in Baton Rouge, La. A self-proclaimed fan-analyst, Peter has covered every major sport for over a decade, including four NBA Championships with the San Antonio Spurs.